NameFast: The AI-Powered Cure for Startup Naming Paralysis

For indie developers and startup founders, few tasks are as deceptively draining as naming a new project. Hours vanish into brainstorming sessions, domain checks, and sifting through uninspired suggestions from AI tools like ChatGPT. Enter NameFast, a new web tool built by Viggo to slash this friction. As he revealed in a Hacker News post, 'Every time I start a new side project, I lose hours stuck on naming. Tools like ChatGPT often give boring, inconsistent or unusable results.' NameFast is his antidote: a no-frills AI that delivers curated, brandable names in seconds, tailored for the fast-paced world of indie makers.

How It Works: Simplicity as a Feature

NameFast strips away complexity to focus on what matters:
- No signup or login: Just visit the site and describe your idea in plain English (e.g., 'a tool for collaborative coding').
- Instant, curated output: The AI generates 8–15 names that are short, easy to pronounce, and often available as .com domains—avoiding the 'GPT mashups' and generic fluff common in broader tools.
- Endless iterations: Hit refresh for fresh batches of names, encouraging experimentation without friction.

This approach targets a critical gap in developer tooling. While generative AI excels at scale, it often falters in curation, spitting out names that are unmemorable or already taken. NameFast's constraints—prioritizing brevity, pronounceability, and domain availability—reflect a deeper understanding of startup needs, where a strong name can make or break early traction.

Why This Tool Resonates with Indie Makers

Viggo’s creation taps into a broader trend: the rise of hyper-specialized tools for developer productivity. Unlike corporate-focused solutions, NameFast is designed for solo builders and small teams who value speed and focus. It’s not just about generating words; it’s about reclaiming time for core development. As Viggo notes, this tool is 'made for indie makers, not corporations,' highlighting how niche AI applications can democratize creativity.

Yet, challenges remain. Viggo is actively seeking feedback on key questions: Are the names truly helpful? Would filters (e.g., 'funny,' 'edgy,' or 'one-word') enhance usability? And crucially, does this tool offer value beyond the initial naming frenzy? These queries underscore a larger conversation about AI's evolution—from brute-force generators to refined assistants that learn from user input.

For the tech community, NameFast is more than a convenience; it’s a case study in focused innovation. As AI saturates the tooling landscape, the winners may be those that, like this, solve one problem exceptionally well. If it evolves with user insights, it could become a staple in the indie dev toolkit, turning naming from a roadblock into a rapid launchpad.

Source: Hacker News Post by Viggo